Promotion
With 2016 is just around the corner, New Year’s resolutions are on everyone’s agenda.
Losing weight, quitting smoking and spending more time with your family are top three New Year’s resolutions, closely followed by getting fit and travelling to new places. But if staying in Europe long-term is on your wish list for the year ahead, looking into your ancestry might just be all that you need to do.
Most European countries including Italy, UK, Ireland and Greece have a long-standing tradition of allowing descendants of immigrants to benefit from the citizenship by descent legislation.
You might qualify for Polish citizenship
Whilst in the EU since 2004, Poland is not yet on most people’s radar. Yet, if your parents, grandparents or even grandparents were Polish, you might qualify for Polish citizenship and a passport.
Whilst gathering family documents and completing the paperwork can be a bit tricky, the concept is straightforward: Poland considers people of Polish descent to be its citizens so long as they can prove the lineage and verify it through an official process. You do not need to speak Polish, live in Poland or serve in the military.
To confirm your Polish citizenship you need to apply to the Voivodeship Office in Warsaw, lodging a number of documents, translated into Polish. They include forms, archival records, vital records and other documentary evidence.
The application is then assessed by a case officer at the Voivodeship Office. If the outcome is positive, you are issued with a certificate of citizenship and apply for a Polish passport.
A second passport is a coveted commodity in this fast-paced, global world of ours. Having dual citizenship can help expand your horizons, increase economic freedom and open doors that are normally closed to Australians
There are a lot of myths and misinformation about Polish citizenship out there
If you’re after accurate and trustworthy information about the process, family research or anything else to do with Polish citizenship, we invite you to contact Polaron’s Kate Zielinska for free, no-obligation advice: uk@polaron.com.au